Expandable space enclosure including apparatus for erecting and retracting same

ABSTRACT

Expandable structural modules for space enclosures including particular apparatus for effecting and assisting in the expansion or erection and retraction or dismantling of the units for storage or transport. The modular structures generally comprise a box-like enclosure in which the roof, side and end walls and floor are stored in collapsed, folded form. Preferably the case opens out in two directions to form room enclosures on opposite sides of the case. The roof and floor are linked together so that as the floor is lowered, the roof is raised by the same mechanism. A special cable-and-spool arrangement serves to open the folded roof with the outer section thereof unfolding in one direction as the inner section unfolds in the opposite direction. A plurality of guide arrangements are provided to facilitate the opening of the walls of the enclosure while maintaining alignment between the respective walls and wall sections. Balancing of the wall and roof sections is provided by a cable, drum and spring arrangement which stores energy as the floor and roof are opened, and applies an assisting force as the floor is raised and the roof retracted. Various supports and retainers are incorporated in particular modular arrangements adapted for use as cabin trailers, campers and the like which materially assist in the process of erecting the space enclosure and in retracting the same for storage and/or transport.

United States Patent 1191 Honigman 1451 Feb. 18, 1975 211 Appl. NO.I269,848

699,753 11/1953 Great Britain .1 52/68 OTHER PUBLICATIONS SuitcaseTemporary House," May 26, 1944, Class 52/68, Palace Corporation, 4pages.

Primary ExaminerErnest R, Purser Assistant Examiner-Leslie A. BraunAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Henry M. Bissell [57] ABSTRACT Expandablestructural modules for space enclosures including particular apparatusfor effecting and assist- 1 1 in the expansion o erection and retractiono dl 52/122, 52/127 mantling of the units for storage or transport. Themodular tructures generally comprise a box llke en- [58] Field of Search52/64 701 71, closure in which the roof, side and end walls and floor52/111, 113, 116, 122, 127; 296/23-27; 5/5 are stored in collapsed,folded form, Preferably the B1 53 164 166 R19 R, 9 B; 108/37 case opensout in two directions to form room enclol sures on opposite sides of thecase. The roof and floor are linked together so that as the floor islowered, the l l References Clted roof is raised by the same mechanism.A special cable- UNITED STATES PATENTS and-spool arrangement serves toopen the folded roof 1,058,580 4/1913 111111 5/164 D x W the Outer$66909 thereof M in P i 2,167 557 7/1939 Smu 52/ 9 tion as the innersection unfolds in the oppos1te dlrec- 2,395,691 2/1946 Smith v 52/69tion. A plurality of guide arrangements are provided 21 3 1 62 53 Gravenr 5 /69 to facilitate the opening of the walls of the enclosure2,886,856 5/1959 Suk Kun Che 1 52/69 while maintaining alignment betweenthe respective walls and wall sections. Balancing of the wall and roofI1 CI'SOI'ICR... H 311711.850 1/1963 MCClUfC 52/122 x *f 'fi i li lfig:1 illflllll alil fll lefi 5257.761) 6/1966 01111161 561 52/71 x l fY .f' f "f b i" f f 3348344 10/1967 qmcvossmn H 52/69 X are opened, andappl es an assisting force as the floor 352L926 7/1970 Brew, cl H 52/66X is raised and the root retracted. arlous supports and 3528207 9/1971)H V/ 53/70 X retainers are incorporated in particular modular ar3,629.982 12/1971 Ballay ct al. 52/69 rangements adapted for use ascabin trailers. campers 3,66 18 6/19 2 C rt 52/ X and the likewhich-materially assist in the process o1 FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS erectirfig tltie space dt/encltosurve alld in retractingthe 215,582 7/1957 Australia 52/64 Same or 5 ("age an or rmspor 932.4583/1948 France 296/23 F 37 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures 1O 5O 2o 3O 40 1 4o42 l B l 42 6 9) PAIEMEU 3.866.365

' SHEEI 3m 4 ALA PATENTED FEB] BIBTS SHEET 0F 4 EXPANDABLE SPACEENCLOSURE INCLUDING APPARATUS FOR ERECTING AND RETRACTING SAMEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This inventionrelates generally to expandable space enclosures, and more particularlyto specific structures designed for such purpose which incorporateapparatus for effecting and easing the erection and retraction of theexpandable space enclosures.

2. Description of the Prior Art In recent years the use of campers andtrailers has become more widespread. In particular, there is anincreasing demand for such campers or trailers which are large enough toaccommodate and provide spacious living quarters for entire families. Onthe other hand, the use of very large campers or even of large trailersis restricted due to their large size and considerable weight which makeit hard to move or pull them over narrow or winding roads. They are ahazard during high winds, when moving over mountain roads or even opencountry. Moreover, they are principally used as recreational vehiclesand, if large enough to provide spacious quarters, present aconsiderable problem when the units are to be stored on a residentiallot.

In addition to the need for recreation vehicles providing a greaterratio of erected to transport volume, there is also a continuing andincreasing need for space, enclosing structures which can be stored andtransported in compact form but which can be expanded and erected toprovide multi-room enclosures for classrooms, offices, housing and thelike on a temporary or semi-permanent basis. Such units are particularlyneeded by the military in combat and field maneuver situations as wellas in disaster relief and urban renewal programs, where they can be airlifted to a location where they areneeded and then easily erected on thesite with a minimum of time and manpower involved.

Many attempts at solving the needs described above have been made butefforts are still going on to develop the most suitable arrangement forthis purpose. The provision of structural panels capable of withstandingthe elements and the normal forces of nature necessarily increases theweight of any given structural arrangement. However, with increasedweight, the entire structure is likely to become more difficult to erectand assemble or to dismantle and store. In order to handle increasedweight, there is a tendency to design power units such as motors, pumps,hydraulic systems and the like to handle the heavier erection jobs whichresult from the increased weight and particular structural designs. Yet,such an approach defeats the initial purpose, because it then becomesnecessary to provide the electrical or other power needed by these unitsin order to perform the required operations.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provideparticular expandable space enclosures which incorporate apparatus forerecting and dismantling same without resort to power equipment.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide simplifiedapparatus for assisting in and assuring the maintenance of appropriatealignment between various sections of a given enclosure during erectionof the structure.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide apparatuswhich is adapted for inclusion in and operationvwith a type ofexpandable space enclosure in which the roof, walls and floor are allstored in folded and stacked juxtaposition within a compact, relativelyflat storage unit which may be used on a portable vehicle such as acamper or trailer on the one hand or alternatively may be used to erecta complete space enclo sure having several times the enclosed volume ascompared with the volume of the storage unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In brief, arrangements in accordance with thepresent invention comprise expandable modular space enclosures in whichroof, wall and floor panels are folded together for compact storage in asingle box unit, which box may be stored or transported in thehorizontal attitude but is adapted to be oriented vertically on edge forthe unfolding and opening out of the various panels which comprise thespace enclosure.

The invention will be described generally in the context of anexpandable trailer unit. I-Iowever, features of the present inventionare equally adaptable to pick-up and chassis-mounted camper units,transportable nonvehicle units, and the like.

Arrangements in accordance with the invention may comprise a box unitwhich is stored in a horizontal attitude as the top closure of a modularbody unit. When the unit is to be set up for use, the box is slidablerelative to the body to a pivot point adjacent one end thereof androtated to an upright or vertical attitude at the end of the body unitwhere it is supported at pivot points on a pair of cantilevered supportmembers and locked in such position by means of cam-locking arrangementsmounted in the trailer body. Thereafter, the floor section of theexpandable room unit (formerly the top cover of the box when in thehorizontal position) is rotatably lowered into position. This floor ispivotably attached to the box at the bottom thereof and, when loweredinto position, is supported on retractable, adjustable jack memberswhich make contact with the ground for the desired support of the floor.The roofs of both the front and rear rooms are split transversely atapproximately their mid points and the twosections of each roof arehinged at their juncture so that in the stored position they aremaintained in a folded configuration within the box unit. The roofs arelinked to the floor so that as the floor is lowered the roof sectionsare extended and raised. The end walls of the front and rear rooms, eachconnected to its respective set of folded sidewall panels, may then bemoved outwardly from the box unit, being supported on rollers at thebase and guided by a suitable control cable mechanism so as to completethe erection of the structure when fully extended from the box unit. Inthis fashion, a vehicle such as a trailer 8 feet wide, 10 feet long andhaving a maximum height above the ground of approximately 5 feet with aweight suitable for transporting on a single axle and one pair of wheelsmay be expanded to a living unit some 20 feet long with full 7% feet ormore interior height, complete with built-in toilet, sink, refrigerator,stove, water storage and all the furniture required to equip the tworooms which are thus provided.

In accordance with various aspects of the invention, the arrangement isprovided with particular cable and drum mechanisms for extending andretracting the floor and roof sections in unison. The weight forces ofthe cantilevered panels are balanced with respect to each other andfurther compensated for by a torsion spring mechanism attached tocertain of the cable drums which control the floor lifting mechanism sothat a minimum of effort is required for the erection and retractionprocess. Precise and adjustable alignment of the end walls, which aresupported on wheeled casters, is maintained by virtue of separateintersecting cable mechanisms which serve to follow the travel of theend walls between retracted and extended positions and permit movementin this fashion by control from either end of the end walls with aminimum of effort. Slides and hinges are incorporated with the end wallsand side wall panels in order to provide smooth, easy movement whilemaintaining a firm spatial interrelationship and alignment between therespective wall components. These hinges also serve effectively asweatherproof seals to seal the joints between the respective panels.Effective locking members are also provided which readily lockrespective components of the expandable structure together so that theentire unit, when erected, provides a rigid and effective integralstructure. Such locking mechanisms are also provided for securing thepanel storage box in place on the lower body unit of the expandablemodule when the unit is in compact storage position for transport. Inaddition, ingenious mechanisms are provided for supporting the variouspanels stored in the slidable box unit in a fashion which holds themaway from the adjacent surfaces of the body unit in order to minimizethe friction involved in sliding the box unit between its closed andpivotable positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING A better understanding of the presentinvention may be had from a consideration of the following detaileddescription, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing inwhich: 9

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of an improvedmodular unit in accordance with the invention, shown mounted forconventional trailer transport;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the unit of FIG. 1 partiallyerected;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 2 in afurther stage of the erection procedure, the view being taken from theopposite side relative to FIGS. 1 and 2 in order to show furtherdetails;

FIG. 4 is a view of a portion of the arrangement of FIG. 1 illustratinga particular mechanism for effecting the extension of the roof and floorsections in the step illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a portion of FIG. 2, showingparticular details thereof;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another arrangement in accordance withthe invention provided as an alternative to the arrangement of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the arrangement of FIGS.1-3, showing details ofa particular alignment mechanism thereof;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view, taken along the line 10-10, of the portionas shown in FIG. 9, except with the upper part of the FIG. 9 portionrotated to the horizontal position;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of a portion ofthe arrangement of FIGS. 1-3, showing details of another particularalignment mechanism thereof;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of still anotherarrangement in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 13 is a partial sectional view of another portion of thearrangement of FIGS. 1-3, showing further details thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS is shown a modular unit 10comprising a base unit 12 and top unit 14. The base unit or body 12 isshown with a lower portion 16 extending the full length of the unit andan upraised portion 18 at the front end. The body is mounted on achassis (not shown) supported on wheels 19 and having a trailer tongueand hitch (also not shown) extending from the front end (the left-handend in FIGS. 1 and 2). The top unit 14 includes a box 20 and a floorsection 22 which, in the position shown in FIG. 1, serves as a topclosure for the box 20. The top unit is pivotably mounted on cantilevermembers 24 at pivot points 26 on opposite sides of the top unit 14 whichare located at approximately the center of FIG. 8 is a perspective viewof another portion of the arrangement of FIGS. l-3,'showing details ofthe side wall slide juncture to the end wall thereof;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of still another portion of FIGS. l-3,showing details of retainer and support members thereof;

gravity thereof. Also seen in a broken away portion of FIG. 1 is aroller 28 which provides additional support for the top unit 14 as it ismoved backward or forward on the body 12. The cantilever members 24 aremounted in longitudinal channels for easy movement back and forthbetweenthe position shown in FIG. 1 and that shown in FIG. 2 wherein thebox 20 is rotated to a vertical attitude to permit expansion of the unitto its full space enclosure. The box 20 stores the various folded andretracted panels which comprise the rigid space enclosure module whenextended. The panels comprise roof sections 30, end walls 32 and sidewalls 34 in addition to the floor 22 already mentioned. The side walls34 comprise folding panels designated outboard panels 36, intermediatepanels 37, and inboard panels 38. More or fewer side wall panels may beused to accommodate different dimensions of the side walls 34.

FIG. 2 illustrates the unit 10 with the floor 22 partially lowered andthe roof sections 30 partially raised. It will be noted that each roofsection 30 comprises an inboard roof panel 40 and an outboard roof panel42. The roof panels 40 and 42 are joined to each other by means of aflexible plastic hinge. 44, which is both durable and effective for thispurpose and also serves to provide a weathertight seal across thejuncture between the two panels. A similar hinge, designated 46, isprovided at the juncture between the panel 40 and the box '20. Furtherdetails of the mechanism for expanding the floor and roof panels will bediscussed in connection with FIGS. 4 and 5 hereinbelow.

FIG. 3 illustrates the unit with the floor down, the roof sectionsraised, and end walls 32 and side walls 34 in the process of beingextended and expanded toward the full enclosure position. Plastic hinges48, of the type already described, are provided to join adjacent pairsof side wall panels to each other and to join the panels 38 to the box20. Water-tight seals are provided at all junctures of adjacent panels,either by means of the plastic continuous hinge strips 44, 46 and 48, orby means of compression seals at junctures between the end walls 32 andthe ends of the roof sections 30, the upper body portion 18, the lowerbody portion 16, and the like.

It will be understood that the lower body portion 16 is intended as thekitchen and eating area of the expanded module and thus contains thevarious appropriate built-in appliances such as a double sink, arefrigerator, a dishwasher, garbage disposal unit and the like, as wellas housing a bathroom with self-contained toilet and shower facilities,both fresh and waste water tanks,

pumps and the like to make the complete module wholly self-sufficientwhere necessary.

Suitable retractable floor jacks 50 are shown in position in FIG. 3 tosupport the floor 22 in its lowered position. These floor jacks 50 areadjustable to permit levelling of the floor 22 on uneven or slantingterrain.

In addition to the structure as thus far described, the unit 10 of FIGS.l-3 is shown with detachable storage boxes 52 and wheel well panels 54.These are designed for addition in the event of a trailer orchassis-mounted unit, such as is shown in these figures, and for removalto provide a basic module which is adapted to fit within the space in apickup truck box in a fashion corresponding to conventional camperutilization.

At each point at which one panel or sub-unit is to be mounted againstanother panel or sub-unit for rigid support, a suitable lockingmechanism is provided. Such a locking mechanism may comprise a unitreferred to as a cam-lock, of the general type conventionally employedfor the final closing and locking of casement windows, for example.Thus, one or more camlocks are provided for securing the lower portionof the box to the rear end of the body 14 in the attitude shown in FIGS.2 and 3. Similar cam-locks may be provided for securing the end walls 32to the roof panels 40, 42 and the floor 22, once the end walls are inthe fully extended position, as well as being provided to affix the topunit 14 to the body unit 12 when the unit 10 is fully retracted inreadiness for transport.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate details of a preferred mechanism by which thefloor and roof sections, pivotably mounted to the box 20 at points 56and 58, respectively may be extended, supported, and retracted. FIG. 4illustrates a portion of the floor 22 as viewed from the underside withthe outermost covering removed. In the view of FIG. 4 there is shown aforce compensating mechanism 60 mounted transversely across the loweredge of the floor 22 by means of bearings (not shown in detail) in thesides of the floor 22 and in a bracket 62, affixed to the end panel 64of the floor 22. The mechanism 60 comprises a torsion spring 66 affixedat its right-hand end to the bracket 62 and at its left-hand end to ashaft 68 by means ofa locking collar 70 having locking bolts 72 forsecuring the collar 70 to the shaft 68. At opposite ends of the shaft 68are a pair of cable drums 74, also affixed for rotation with the shaft68 by means oflocking collars 76. Separate cables 78 are shown woundaround the drums 74. A crank 80 extends from the righthand end of theshaft 68 for controlling the rotation and position thereof. A lockingplate 82 and a locking pin 84 are included for locking the shaft 68 at apreferred position by inserting the pin 84 through selected holes (notshown) in the plate and end of the drum 74.

Referring to FIG. 5, it will be observed that the cables 78 extendoutwardly within a hollow section of the floor 22 from the drums 74,pass around respective pulleys and then to an anchor point 92 near thetop of the box 20. The arrangement as thus described in FIGS.

4 and 5 serves to compensate for the force developed by the weight ofthe floor 22 as it is raised and lowered so as to permit a relativelyslight force applied to the crank 80 to move the floor 22 in eitherdirection. With the floor 22 in vertical position against the box 20,the cables 78 are wound to the maximum extent around the cable drums 74.At this point the locking collar 70 of the torsion spring 66 will havebeen secured to the shaft 68 in accordance with specifications providedby the manufacturer of the spring 66 according to the dimensions andcharacteristics of the spring 66. This is the position of minimum torqueapplied by the spring 66 to the shaft 68. As the floor 22 is rotatedoutwardly to assume its lowered position, the cables 78 unwind from thecable drums 74, causing the shaft 68 to rotate and drive stored torqueinto the torsion spring 66. The crank 80 may be employed in thisoperation if desired or needed, although with the entire mechanismproperly balanced it is literally possible to raise or lower the entireassembly, including the floor and roof panels, by fingertip pressure.For raising the floor 22, the torsion spring 66 applies a forcecounterbalancing the force of gravity from the weight of'the floor 22,thus winding the cables 78 on the drums 74 until the floor 22 assumesthe upright position against the box 20.

It will be noted that the floor 22 also has a pair of cables 94 anchoredthereto by means of brackets 96 and adjustable turnbuckle devices 98.These cables 94 pass over pulleys 100 rotatably secured to the box 20and connect with respective U-shaped tension members 102 which in turnare pivotably mounted to the inboard ends of respective roof panels 40.This causes the roof panels 40 to rotate outwardly as the floor 22 islowered.

An additional cable assembly will be noted in FIG. 5 involving cableswhich are fastened at one end 112 to the box 20 and which are secured atthe opposite end at points 114 to the respective outer roof panels 42.Each cable 110 passes over a first spool 116 and around a second spool118. The first spool 116 is affixed to the box 20 concentrically withthe pivot support 58 of the roof panels 40 and remains stationary as theinboard roof panel 40 rotates. The second spool 118 is located at thepivot support (hinge 44) for the outboard roof panel 42 and is affixedfor rotation with the panel 42. The radius of the first spool 116 istwice the radius of the second spool 118. This arrangement permits thepanel 42 to undergoa rotation of l80 in one direction relative to itssupport member (the beam 120) while the support beam 120 and inboardroof panel 40 rotate through 90 in the opposite direction between fullyopened and fully closed or folded positions within the box 20. Relativeto the box 20, however, the separate roof panels 40, 42 each rotatethrough 9 but in opposite directions relative to each other. The spool116 is fixed to the box and the spool 118 does not rotate freely but isconstrained by attachment to the panel 42. Thus the cable does not slideon the spools 116, 118. Rather, the cable 110 merely shifts its pointsof entry and exit on the respective spools 116 and 118 as the mechanismmoves between its extended and storage positions. By virtue of thisarrangement, the raising/lowering mechanism involving the cables 94connected to the floor 22, and the cable 78 and drum 74 mechanism. theroof 30 and floor -22 move in unison, with the weight of the floor 22 asit is lowered serving to elevate and unfold the roof sections 30 andmaintain them in a fixed, cantileversupported position. When the unit isto be folded up, the weight of the roof sections 30 and the torquestored in the torsion spring mechanism 60, applied via the cable anddrum mechanism of FIG. 4, assist in raising the floor 22 while thehinged roof panels 40, 42 fold together for storage in the box 20.

As may be seen in FIG. 4, the floor section 22 is provided withcompartments for the storage of bedding and various items of collapsiblefurniture in knockdown form. Access to these compartments 130 from theroom formed by the expanded structure is afforded by various removablecovers 132 (FIGS. 2, 3).

FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative arrangement for interconnecting theroof and floor sections which may be employed in place of the cable anddrum arrangement of FIG. 5. FIG. 6 illustrates a pair of rigid strutslinking the floor 22 and the inboard roof panels 40. The struts 150 arepivotably connected to the corresponding floor and roof sections atopposite ends l52 and 154, respectively. Desirable adjustment oftheeffective length of the strut or linkage members 150 is afforded bymeans of adjustable cam members 156 which are mounted on brackets 158secured to the floor 22. By adjustment of the eccentric cam members 156,the position of the roof 30 relative to the floor 22 may be adjusted sothat the respective sections are aligned and true in the fully extendedposition. A controllable relief, pressure cylinder 160 is also coupledbetween the box 20 and the floor 22 via a cable 162 and bracket 164. Thecylinder 160 may preferably comprise a pneumatic cylinder and enclosedpiston arrangement with a spring incorporated therein, similar toconventional 'door closing mechanisms which are well known in the art.The purpose of this mechanism is to limit the rate at which the floor 22opens to its extended position under the force of gravity so that itdoes not slam down too fast. It will be noted that the arrangement ofFIG. 6 does not incorporate the torsion spring and cable supportarrangement shown and described in connection with FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 7 illustrates particular details of a portion of the arrangement ofFIGS. 1-3, and may be considered generally conforming to the section inFIG. 3 designated by the letter A in the lower left-hand corner of FIG.3. A corresponding mechanism with further details is also illustrated inFIG. 11. FIG. 7 illustrates fragmentary portions of the box 20, thefloor 22, the end wall 32 and adjacent outboard side wall panel 36 towhich various components of a cable alignment mechanism are connected.Mechanism 170 is shown comprising a first cable 172 and a second cable174. Also shown are an anchor block 176 attached to the floor 22 at anouter corner thereof, a bracket 178 secured to the outer corner of theend wall 32 for supporting pulleys 180 and 182, and a spring 184 tied toa second anchor block 186 fastened within the box 20. It will beunderstood that corresponding components are' mounted on the oppositeside of the structure of FIG. 3 to complete the alignment mechanism 170.Cable 172 is secured at one end thereof to the anchor block 176 and fromthere extends around the lower pulley 180 and across the extent of endwall 32 to members on the opposite side which are shown in FIG. 7 asbeing provided for the cable 174. Conversely, cable 174 is anchored onthe opposite side to an anchor block corresponding to the block 176,passes around a pulley such as upper pulley 180 on the opposite side andthen is threaded as shown in FIG. 7'behind the upper pulley 180, aroundin front of pulley 182, and then back to connect with the spring 184.

In operation, the alignment system 170 serves to guide the end wall 32as it moves back and forth, toward or away from the box 120, oncaster-type wheels such as the wheels 190 which are mounted at oppositeends of the wall 32 and which provide as the sole support thereof whilethe end wall 32 is being moved in or out of position. Alignmentmechanism 170 serves to maintain the wall 32 perpendicular to itsdirection of travel regardless of where the force urging its movement isapplied. Even if the force is applied directly upon the corner where thebracket 178 is located, cables 172 and 174 serve to transmit part of theforce across to the opposite end of the wall 32 so that the wall moveswithout binding'or jamming. The cables 172, 174 are adjacent the loweredge of the wall 32 and move in and out therewith so that they are neverin the way of anyone walking about on the floor 22, whether the end wall32 is at its outer position or retracted into the box 22 or at anyposition in between. They are protected by the raised threshold at thedoorway in the end wall 32 so that there is no danger of anyone trippingover the cables 172, 174. By virtue of the use of the mechanism 170 asdescribed, it becomes unnecessary to provide any arrangement forsupporting the end wall 32 and side walls 34 from any overhead position,as along the roof 30.

FIG. 8 is a view from the inside of the room on the left-hand side ofthe structure as shown in FIG. 3, looking toward the end wall 32 as itis moving outwardly and with the roof removed. It will be understoodthat a corresponding structural arrangement is provided at the oppositeend of the unit 10 of FIG. 3 for the end wall on that side over the bodyunit 12. As shown in FIG. 8, side wall panels 36, 37 and 38 areinterconnected by suitable plastic hinges 198 extending the full heightof the respective side wall panels to permit the panels to fold againsteach other or extend to the full length of the opened side wall whileproviding an effective seal against weather. FIG. 8 also shows a slideassembly 200 pivotably mounted at the upper corner of the outboard sidewall panel 36 and slidably securing the panel 36 to the end wall 32.Another such slide assembly-200 (not shown) is included at the bottomcorner of the panel 36. The assembly 200 comprises a slide 202 which ispivotably fastened to the panel 36 and has upper and lower curvedprojections 204 which extend part way around the edges of and behind abar 206 spaced outwardly from but fastened to the end wall 32 by meansof suitable fasteners such as screws 208. The bar 206 is preferably ofmetal; the slide 202 may be of metal with suitable bearing surfaces orit may also be made-of a self lubricating plastic material such asDelryn, Teflon, or the like. As the end wall 32 moves outward, the slide202 moves transversely along the bar 206, permitting the panel 36 tofollow the end wall 32 by virtue of the pivotable connection of theslide 202 to the panel 36. Thus, as the end wall 32 moves outward, theside wall comprising the panels 36, 37 and 38, unfolds until it is fullyextended with the slide mechanism 200 at the extreme righthand end ofthe bar 206. In this position, the panel 36 bears against a compressibleseal member 210, thus providing the desired seal against weather at thejuncture of the side and end walls. When the end wall 32 is beingretracted for storage inside the box 20, the slide assembly 200 movesinward toward the center of the bar 206 and permits the side wall panels36, 37 and 38 to fold together. Although the box 20 is not shown in FIG.8, it will be understood that the nearest edge of the inboard panel 38is connected thereto via its plastic hinge 198. I

FIG. 9 shows a portionof the arrangements of FIGS. 1-3, with particularattention given to details of the portion designated by the letter 8" inFIG. 2. The principal elements shown in this figure and in FIG. 10,which is a section taken along the line I10 of FIG. 9, are included toprovide support for various ones of the panels stored within the box 20in the lower portion thereof when the box is rotated into the horizontalposition for sliding over the body portion 12.

FIG. 9 shows a portion of the box 20 with panels stored therein, exceptthat the roof panels are removed therefrom in order that the details ofsome-of the retaining members may be better illustrated, whereas FIG. 10shows the roof panels in position. In FIG. 9, an end wall 32 withsupporting caster wheels 190 is shown within the box 20. A retractableretaining member 220, fastened to the counter 222 by means of retainers224, is shown bearing against the lip of the end wall 32 and extendingvia a rod 226 to a pivot lever 228 mounted in an arcuate slot 230 at theinboard end of the counter adjacent the center of the unit at a pointwhere a doorway is provided between the kitchen portion and the livingroom/bedroon portion of the unit 10 (FIG. 2). The member 220 may beretracted by means of the lever 228 when the end wall 32 and associatedside walls are to be extended over the lower body portion 16 and.conversely, may be raised into position for supporting the end walls 32when the storage box 20 is to be pivoted into horizontal position fortransport.

A second retaining member 240, secured for pivotable movement on a rod242 supported bybrackets 244, is shown in FIGS. 9 andl0 as included forsupporting the inboard roof panel 40 when in the horizontalposition asretracted for storage in transport. The inboard roof panel 40 isprovided with a side beam 120 which has a lip that bears against thesupport end of the member 240 when in the attitude shown in FIG. 10. Alever 246 attached to the lower end of the rod 242 extends outwardlythrough an arcuate slot 248 in the panels of the box 20 to permit themember 240 to be retracted away from contact with the beam 120 when theroof section 40 is to be extended for setting up the expandable module10.

Further support is provided by the Z-shaped member 250 which extendsthrough the cantilever member 24 and supports the outer roof panel 42when the latter is in the horizontal position for storage within the box20 on top of the body unit 12. Through the use of the various supportand retaining members 220, 240 and 250, the respective roof panels 40and'42, the end wall 32 and the respective side wall panels 36, 37 and38 are supported in place and held away from any contact with the siderail 254 and any other surfaces or projections attached to the body unit12. By virtue of this arrangement the top unit 14 with the various roofand wall panels stored therein is permitted to slide easily between itsposition of storage atop the body unit 12 and the rearward positionthereon where it is pivoted between horizontal and vertical attitudes.Thus the only friction engendered by the movement of the box 20 alongthe body unit 12 is the rolling friction of the wheels256 of thecantilever member 24 within a channel 258 which support the cantilevermember 24 as it rides back and forth between the ends of the channel258. Otherwise, were the various panels in the box 20 not supported inthis fashion, the weight thereof would cause the roof panel 42 to dragon the body unit 12 and make it extremely difficult to move the top unit14 as required.

FIG. 11 shows a portion of the unit 10 as represented in FIG. 3 andillustrates particular details of an alignment system 170a generallycorresponding to the system 170 of FIG. 7 but having a further elementthereon to keep the cables out of the way when the top unit 14 is movedforward on the body unit 12 for transport. In FIG. 11, elementscorresponding to the mechanism shown in FIG. 7 are given correspondingreference numerals followed by the letter 0. Thus, the mechanism 170a isshown including an anchor block 186a, secured to the box 20, a spring184a fastened to the anchor block 186a, and cables 172a and 174a whichextend along the opposite sides of the body unit 12 and across on thefar side of the end wall 32 between pulley and bracket elements (notshown) as are designated 178, I and 182 in FIG. 7. However, at theposition adjacent the upper portion 18 of the body unit 12, instead ofan anchor block such as 176 of FIG. 7, a retracting means in the form ofa constant torque retracting reel wheel 260 (of a type known in the art)is provided. Also included is an additional pulley 262.

With the box 20 in the position shown in FIG. 11, the system a acts inmanner described in connection with FIG. 7. The reel 260 is fixed inposition by virtue of the tension of the cables 172a, 174a and thus thecable 260 and the pulley 262 serve as the anchor points (correspondingto the anchor blocks 176 of FIG. 7) of the system 170a. Thus the endwall 32 with attached side wall panels may be effectively maintained inalignment while it is moved back and forth on its caster wheels 190.However, when the box 20 is rotated to the horizontal position with thevarious wall and roof panels stored therein and is rolled forwardly toassume the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the tension of the cables172a, 174a is released and the retracting reel 260, biased by itsconstant torque sp ing drive associated therewith, serves to reel in anyslack in the cables 172a, 174a so they do not become tangled. Similarlythe retracting reel 260 reels out the necessary length of the cables172a, 174a, when the top unit 14 is slid rearwardly on the body unit 12in preparation for erection of the expandable module 10.

FIG. 12 illustrates another arrangement in accordance with the presentinvention which is designed, not for wheeled transport as a camper ortrailer, but instead for compact storage as a complete modular unitwhich may be easily erected at a selected site by one man to provide acomplete modular space enclosure which is rigid, weather-tight andsemipermanent.

FIG. 12 depicts the modular unit 300 which is basically comparable tothe top unit 14 of FIG. 1 but with two floor sections 302 and 304provided to enclose the opposite open sides of the box 306. In thisconfiguration, the unit 300 is provided with a pair of torsionspring/cable and drum mechanisms similar to that shown in FIG. 4. Oneoperates in the fashion already described in connection with FIGS. 4 and5 for the lowering of the floor 302 and the raising of the associatedroof sections (see FIG. 5). However, the additional torsion mechanismrepresented in FIG. 12 is provided in order to raise the box 306 to thevertical or upright attitude prior to further expansion of the unit 300.This latter mechanism is shown comprising a drum 310 about which a cable312 is wound with afew turns and arranged to exit from opposite sides ofthe drum 310. Within a side compartment of the floor section 304 is acompression spring 314 anchored at one end to a fixed bracket 316 and atthe other end to a slidable bracket 318. It will be understood thatcomparable mechanisms are mounted at both sides of the floor section 304and coupled together by the shaft 320. The cable 312 is secured at oneend to the slidable bracket 318 and runs through the center of thecompression spring 314, around the drum 310, thence upward and around apair of pulleys 322 and 324 which are pivotably mounted at the side ofthe box 306. Finally, the cable 312 extends and is secured at its outerend to a pivot point 326 which is the hinge between two sections 330 and332 of a compression member 334 extending between the floor 304 and thebox 306. The member 334 is pivotably mounted at opposite ends,respectively, to the box 306 at pivot anchor 340 and to a second pivotanchor 342 on the slidable bracket 318.

As the drum 310 and shaft 320 are turned by means of the attached crank345, the cable 312 may be driven to pay out on the lower end, thusreleasing the compressed spring 314 and sliding the bracket 318outwardly to slide and rotate the section 332 while at the same timedrawing in on the opposite and anchored to the hinge pivot 326.Operation in this fashion forces the compression member 334 to unfold,thus developing relative rotation between the box 306 and the floor 304.The compression spring 314 and the torsion spring on the shaft 320 (seeFIG. 4) effectively provide compensation and balancing of forces withrespect to the weight of the box 306 with the stored structural panelstherein, and the compression spring 314 further develops the forceneeded to cause the opening of the compression member 334 which rotatesthe box 306 to the upright position.

Thus, the unit 300 as shown in FIG. 12 provides an entirelyself-contained unit which may be stored compactly or erected by a singleman to develop a space enclosure of approximately 8 feet in width, 18feet in length and 8 feet in interior height from a storage case whichis approximately 8 X 9 X 2%. The total weight is approximately 400 lbs.depending on how much collapsible furniture and other equipment isstoredin the 6 inch hollow floor sections.

FIG. 13 illustrates details of yet another portion of the arrangement ofFIGS. 1-3, and is a sectional elevation of the portion at the juncturebetween the lower body 16 and the box 20 of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 13,the body portion 16 includes a pocket 350 in which there is mounted asupport plate 352. Such an arrangement is included on each side of thelower body portion 16 to facilitate attachment of thebox 20 thereto whenin the upright attitude shown in FIG. 2. The support plate 352 ismounted on a threaded support 354 adjustably engaged in a support mount356 attached to the body portion 16. A hinge plate 358 is attached to ahinge bracket 360 by means of pivot member 361 within a recess 362 ofthe box 20. The bracket 360 is adjustably secured to the box 20 by meansof bracket mounts 364 which permit vertical adjustment of the positionof the hinge plate 358 and hinge bracket 360. As may best be seen in thebroken line portion of FIG. 13, which illustrates the box 20 andattached members in the positions as they appear prior to engagementwith the lower body portion 16, a spring means 366 in the form of aresilient foam pad is provided to hold the hinge plate 358 angledoutwardly from its pivot 361 unless it is forced against the spring 366into the position shown in solid outline form in FIG. 13. The supportplate 352 is shaped with a lip 368. As the box 20 pivots into positionadjacent the lower body portion 16, the hinge-plate 358 at its lower endengages the lip 368 of the support plate 352 and thereby forces the box20 slightly upward. This serves to remove the weight of the box 20 andits enclosed folded structural panels from its suspension mechanism,such as the cantilever members 24 and associated track on which they aremounted. The arrangement of FIG. 13 also advantageously serves to insurethat the box 20 is properly aligned at the desired position with respectto the body portion 16 each time that the unit is being set up. Thus,

the arrangement of FIG. 13 serves both as an indexing arrangement foralignment of the box 20 with the body portion 16 and as a supportmechanism for relieving the stresses on the box suspension members whenthe unit is set up in its expanded configuration.

There have thus been shown and described particular details of varioussuspension and alignment arrangements in accordance with the presentinvention which constitute an improved structural arrangement thereof.These various arrangements serve to enhance the effective operation andutilization of the expandable space module of theinvention such that aneffective and commercially feasible unit results.

Although there have been described above specific arrangements ofexpandable space enclosure including apparatus for erecting andretracting same in accordance with the invention for the purpose ofillustrating the manner in which the invention may be used to advantage,it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited thereto.Accordingly, any and all modifications,

variations, or equivalent arrangements which may occur to those skilledin the art should be considered to be within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for erecting and retracting an expandable space enclosurecomprising:

a box for storing folded roof and wall panels therein and having atleast one open side which is covered in the storage condition by a floorsection pivotably connected to the box, the roof panels comprising apair of panels hinged together as a roof section for folded storagewithin the box, the inner panel being pivotably mounted to said box andhaving cantilevered erecting means adapted to rotate the roof sectionabout the pivot support and maintain said section in unfolded horizontalposition upon erection;

cable means for supporting and aligning said panels during movement ofthe panels between expanded and folded positions relative to the box;

at least one of said wall panels comprising an end wall movabletranslationally between parallel expanded and storage positions whilemaintained aligned in a fixed attitude during said movement by saidcable means;

releasable means for maintaining said box in an upright attitude for theunfolding of the panels therefrom in order to provide an expanded spaceenclosure and for the retraction of said panels for storage within thebox; and

a control mechanism for unfolding the two roof panels relative to eachother while the entire roof section is being rotated to the horizontalposition rela tive to the box.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mechanism comprisesa first spool mounted at the pivot mount of the roof section; a secondspool mounted at the hinge juncture of the two roof panels; and a cablefastened to the box at one end, extending over the first spool andaround the second spool, and fastened to the outer roof panel at theopposite end.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein the first spool is twicethe diameter of the second spool to develop a rotation of the outerpanel which istwice the angle of rotation ofthe inner panel betweenfolded and erected positions.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein the first spool isfixedly mounted to the box; wherein the second spool is fixedly mountedto the outer panel for rotation therewith; and wherein the outer panelrotates through approximately 180 and the inner panel rotates throughapproximately 90 with the directions of rotation of the two panels beingopposite to each other.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the erecting meansincludes coupling means'extending between the roof section and the floorsection so that the weight of the floor is utilized in erecting the roofsection.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said coupling meanscomprises cable means extending between the floor and a lever portion ofthe roof section, and means for adjusting the effective length of thecable means.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein the coupling meanscomprises rigid strut means extending between the floor and roofsections, and means for adjusting the effective length of the strutmeans.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 further including means forcontrolling the rate of opening of the floor section, including acylinder and cable extending between the floor section and the box.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein two respective roofsections are mounted for rotation to open position on opposite sides ofthe box, both of said sections being pivotably mounted to the box inlike fashion, and wherein the coupling means includes separate couplingmeans extending between the floor section and respective ones of the tworoof sections, whereby both of the roof sections are erected on oppositesides of the box by the opening of the floor section on one side of thebox.

10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 further including forcebalancing means for counterbalancing the weight of the floor sectionduring its rotation between open and closed positions relative to thebox.

11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein the force balancingmeans comprises a shaft extending transversely of the floor section andmounted thereto for rotation about its longitudinal axis, at least onecable drum fastened to said shaft for rotation therewith, a cableextending from said drum to an anchor point on the box, and torsionspring means mounted to counter the rotation of the shaft as the cableis paid out from the drum.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein the spring iscoaxially positioned about the shaft and further including means formounting the other end of said spring to the floor section and means formounting the other end of said spring to the shaft.

13. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 comprising first and secondcable drums respectively mounted near the ends of the shaft at oppositesides of the floor section adjacent the points where the floor sectionis pivotably mounted to the box, the cables from the two drums extendingoutwardly along the floor sections to respective pulleys mounted to thefloor section outboard of the shaft and then upwardly to respectiveanchor points mounted near the upper end of the box.

14. Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 further including a detachablehand crank mounted to drive said shaft for rotation in either direction.

15. Apparatus in accordance with claim 14 further including an indexingpin insertable to lock said shaft against rotation in a selectedposition.

16. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein the box comprisesfloor sections on two opposite open sides thereof, each floor sectionbeing pivotably mounted to the box and serving to cover thecorresponding open side of the box when in the closed position, andwherein the means for maintaining the box in the upright attitudeincludes torsion means for erecting and lowering the box relativeto thefloor section on one side thereof.

17. Apparatus in accordance with claim 16 further including a pair oftorsion means respectively coupled between the box and a correspondingassociated floor section for controlling the relative rotation betweenthe box and the corresponding floor section.

18. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a basestructure and support means for independently supporting the box and thepanels folded therein during translational movement of the box relativeto the base structure when the box is in the hori' I zontal attitude.

19. Apparatus in accordance with claim 18 wherein the support meanscomprise cantilever support members slidably mounted on opposite sidesof the base structure and pivotably mounted to the box for supportingthe box for rotation between upright and horizontal attitudes and fortranslational movement thereof in the horizontal attitude relative tothe base structure.

20. Apparatus in accordance with claim 19 wherein the support meansfurther include adjustable mating means respectively connected to thebase structure and to the box for raising the box slightly duringengagement between the base structure and the box in the uprightattitude in order to relieve the cantilever support members of theweight of the box when the box is in the upright attitude.

21. Apparatus in accordance with claim wherein the mating means comprisea support plate mounted to the base structure with means for adjustingthe position of the support plate relative to the base structure, hingedsupport means mounted to the box by adjustable mounting means, andspring means biasing the hinge means to extend outwardly from the box inthe released position, the hinged support means bearing against a lip ofthe support plate to develop an upward force against the box relative tothe base structure as the box rotates to the upright attitude.

22. Apparatus in accordance with claim 19 wherein the support meansfurther include means for support-v ing individual panels within the boxwhen the box is in the horizontal attitude in order to lift said panelsand prevent their bearing against upper surfaces of the base structureduring translational movement of the box relative thereto.

23. Apparatus in accordance with claim 22 wherein the outer roof panelhas a side beam with an edge extending downward when the box is in thehorizontal attitude, and including pivoted support means mounted to thebox for engaging said downward edge and supporting the roof panel duringtranslational movement of the box.

24. Apparatus in accordance with claim 22 wherein the inner roof panelincludes a side beam having a lip portion extending upwardly when thebox is in the horizontal attitude, and the support means furtherincludes a pivoted member mounted to the box and being pivotable toengage said lip portion to support the inner roof panel when the box isin the horizontal attitude.

25. Apparatus in accordance with claim 24 wherein the pivoted member isretractable from engagement with said lip portion, and further includinga handle affixed to said pivoted member and extending outwardly thoughthe side of said box. for manipulation from the outside of the box. I

26. Apparatus in accordance with claim 22 wherein the box includes aninterior counter surface and the support means further include aretractable member pivotably mounted to the counter surface forselectively engaging an edge of a wall panel to support the wall panelwhen the box is in the horizontal position.

27. Apparatus in accordance with claim 26 further including a rodpivotably mounting the retractable member to the counter surface forrotationalmovement relative thereto, and a lever for rotating said rodto extend or retract said retractable member.

28. Apparatus for erecting and retracting an expandable space enclosurecomprising:

a box for storing folded roof and wall panels therein and having atleast one open side which is covered in the storage condition by a floorsection pivotably connected to the box, the folded wall panelscomprising an end wall and a plurality of side wall panels foldablerelative to each other, the end wall being supported on rollers ridingon the surface of the floor section and adapted for translationalmovement in a direction normal to the plane of the box and in anattitude generally parallel to said plane;

cable means for supporting and aligning said panels during movement ofthe panels between expanded and folded positions relative to the box;

at least one of said wall panels comprising an end wall movabletranslationally between parallel expanded and storage positions whilemaintained aligned in a fixed attitude during said movement by saidcable means;

releasable means for maintaining said box in an upright attitude for theunfolding of the panels therefrom in order to provide an expanded spaceenclosure and for the retraction of said panels for storage within thebox; and

an alignment mechanism for guiding the end wall and maintaining itsattitude aligned generally parallel to the plane of the box irrespectiveof the point along said end wall at which a translational forcegenerally normal to the plane of the box is applied, said alignmentmechanism comprising first and second cable means, respectivelyextending from corresponding box anchor points fixed at opposite sidesof the box, across the end wall to corresponding floor anchor pointslocated at opposite outboard corners of the floor.

29. Apparatus in accordance with claim 28 further including a pluralityof pulley means mounted at opposite sides of the end wall adjacent thebottom thereof for guiding the cables between the corresponding anchorpoints and around the sides of the end wall.

30. Apparatus in accordance with claim 29 further including a springconnected in series with each of said cables adjacent the associated boxanchor point for controlling cable tension.

31. Apparatus in accordance with claim 28 wherein the floor mountedanchor points comprise respectively a pulley and a spring biased reelfor varying the extended length of the first and second cables whilemaintaining said cables taut.

32. Apparatus in accordance with claim 29 wherein the pulley meanscomprises first and second pulleys coaxially mounted one above the otheron a first vertical axis and a third pulley mounted on a second axisadjacent but displaced from said first axis; the first pulley beingadapted to guide one of said cables between a floor anchor point and acable run extending across the lower edge of the end wall, the secondand third pulleys being adapted to guide the other of said cablesbetween a cable run extending across the lower edge of the end wall anda cable run extending to the box anchor point; and a mounting bracketsecured to the lower corner of the end wall for supporting said pulleysthereon.

33. Apparatus in accordance with claim 28 wherein the respective sidewall panels positioned along one side of the floorare joined to eachother and to the box by means of continuous foldable plastic hinges.

34. Apparatus in accordance with claim 33 wherein there is an odd numberof side wall panels along one side of the floor, and further comprisingslidable joining means connecting the outer side wall panel to the endwall.

35. Apparatus in accordance with claim 34 wherein the slidable joiningmeans comprise transverse slide bars mounted at upper and lower edges ofthe end wall, and slide fixtures respectively coupled between upper andlower outboard corners of the side wall panel adjacent the end wall andcorresponding slide bars for transverse movement along the barssectionsextending respectively over upper and lower edges of the slide bar forretaining the fixture on the bar during its translational movement withrespect thereto.

1. Apparatus for erecting and retracting an expandable space enclosurecomprising: a box for storing folded roof and wall panels therein andhaving at least one open side which is covered in the storage conditionby a floor section pivotably connected to the box, the roof panelscomprising a pair of panels hinged together as a roof section for foldedstorage within the box, the inner panel being pivotably mounted to saidbox and having cantilevered erecting means adapted to rotate the roofsection about the pivot support and maintain said section in unfoldedhorizontal position upon erection; cable means for supporting andaligning said panels during movement of the panels between expanded andfolded positions relative to the box; at least one of said wall panelscomprising an end wall movable translationally between parallel expandedand storage positions while maintained aligned in a fixed attitudeduring said movement by said cable means; releasable means formaintaining said box in an upright attitude for the unfolding of thepanels therefrom in order to provide an expanded space enclosure and forthe retraction of said panels for storage within the box; and a controlmechanism for unfolding the two roof panels relative to each other whilethe entire roof section is being rotated to the horizontal positionrelative to the box.
 2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 whereinsaid mechanism comprises a first spool mounted at the pivot mount of theroof section; a second spool mounted at the hinge juncture of the tworoof panels; and a cable fastened to the box at one end, extending overthe first spool and around the second spool, and fastened to the outerroof panel at the opposite end.
 3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2wherein the first spool is twice the diameter of the second spool todevelop a rotation of the outer panel which is twice the angle ofrotation of the inner panel between folded and erected positions. 4.Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein the first spool is fixedlymounted to the box; wherein the second spool is fixedly mounted to theouter panel for rotation therewith; and wherein the outer panel rotatesthrough approximately 180* and the inner panel rotates throughapproximately 90* with the directions of rotation of the two panelsbeing opposite to each other.
 5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1wherein the erecting means includes coupling means extending between theroof section and the floor section so that the weight of the floor isutilized in erecting the roof section.
 6. Apparatus in accordance withclaim 5 wherein said coupling means comprises cable means extendingbetween the floor and a lever portion of the roof section, and means foradjusting the effective length of the cable means.
 7. Apparatus inaccordance with claim 5 wherein the coupling means comprises rigid strutmeans extending between the floor and roof sections, and means foradjusting the effective length of the strut means.
 8. Apparatus inaccordance with claim 7 further including means for controlling the rateof opening of the floor section, including a cylinder and cableextending between the floor section and the box.
 9. Apparatus inaccordance with claim 5 wherein two respective roof sections are mountedfor rotation to open position on opposite sides of the box, both of saidsections being pivotably mounted to the box in like fashion, and whereinthe coupling means includes separate coupling means extending betweenthe floor section and respective ones of the two roof sections, wherebyboth of the roof sections are erected on opposite sides of the box bythe opening of the floor section on one side of the box.
 10. Apparatusin accordance with claim 5 further including force balancing means forcounterbalancing the weight of the floor section during its rotationbEtween open and closed positions relative to the box.
 11. Apparatus inaccordance with claim 10 wherein the force balancing means comprises ashaft extending transversely of the floor section and mounted theretofor rotation about its longitudinal axis, at least one cable drumfastened to said shaft for rotation therewith, a cable extending fromsaid drum to an anchor point on the box, and torsion spring meansmounted to counter the rotation of the shaft as the cable is paid outfrom the drum.
 12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein thespring is coaxially positioned about the shaft and further includingmeans for mounting the other end of said spring to the floor section andmeans for mounting the other end of said spring to the shaft. 13.Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 comprising first and second cabledrums respectively mounted near the ends of the shaft at opposite sidesof the floor section adjacent the points where the floor section ispivotably mounted to the box, the cables from the two drums extendingoutwardly along the floor sections to respective pulleys mounted to thefloor section outboard of the shaft and then upwardly to respectiveanchor points mounted near the upper end of the box.
 14. Apparatus inaccordance with claim 13 further including a detachable hand crankmounted to drive said shaft for rotation in either direction. 15.Apparatus in accordance with claim 14 further including an indexing pininsertable to lock said shaft against rotation in a selected position.16. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein the box comprisesfloor sections on two opposite open sides thereof, each floor sectionbeing pivotably mounted to the box and serving to cover thecorresponding open side of the box when in the closed position, andwherein the means for maintaining the box in the upright attitudeincludes torsion means for erecting and lowering the box relative to thefloor section on one side thereof.
 17. Apparatus in accordance withclaim 16 further including a pair of torsion means respectively coupledbetween the box and a corresponding associated floor section forcontrolling the relative rotation between the box and the correspondingfloor section.
 18. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 furthercomprising a base structure and support means for independentlysupporting the box and the panels folded therein during translationalmovement of the box relative to the base structure when the box is inthe horizontal attitude.
 19. Apparatus in accordance with claim 18wherein the support means comprise cantilever support members slidablymounted on opposite sides of the base structure and pivotably mounted tothe box for supporting the box for rotation between upright andhorizontal attitudes and for translational movement thereof in thehorizontal attitude relative to the base structure.
 20. Apparatus inaccordance with claim 19 wherein the support means further includeadjustable mating means respectively connected to the base structure andto the box for raising the box slightly during engagement between thebase structure and the box in the upright attitude in order to relievethe cantilever support members of the weight of the box when the box isin the upright attitude.
 21. Apparatus in accordance with claim 20wherein the mating means comprise a support plate mounted to the basestructure with means for adjusting the position of the support platerelative to the base structure, hinged support means mounted to the boxby adjustable mounting means, and spring means biasing the hinge meansto extend outwardly from the box in the released position, the hingedsupport means bearing against a lip of the support plate to develop anupward force against the box relative to the base structure as the boxrotates to the upright attitude.
 22. Apparatus in accordance with claim19 wherein the support means further include means for supportingindividual panels within the box when the box is in the Horizontalattitude in order to lift said panels and prevent their bearing againstupper surfaces of the base structure during translational movement ofthe box relative thereto.
 23. Apparatus in accordance with claim 22wherein the outer roof panel has a side beam with an edge extendingdownward when the box is in the horizontal attitude, and includingpivoted support means mounted to the box for engaging said downward edgeand supporting the roof panel during translational movement of the box.24. Apparatus in accordance with claim 22 wherein the inner roof panelincludes a side beam having a lip portion extending upwardly when thebox is in the horizontal attitude, and the support means furtherincludes a pivoted member mounted to the box and being pivotable toengage said lip portion to support the inner roof panel when the box isin the horizontal attitude.
 25. Apparatus in accordance with claim 24wherein the pivoted member is retractable from engagement with said lipportion, and further including a handle affixed to said pivoted memberand extending outwardly though the side of said box for manipulationfrom the outside of the box.
 26. Apparatus in accordance with claim 22wherein the box includes an interior counter surface and the supportmeans further include a retractable member pivotably mounted to thecounter surface for selectively engaging an edge of a wall panel tosupport the wall panel when the box is in the horizontal position. 27.Apparatus in accordance with claim 26 further including a rod pivotablymounting the retractable member to the counter surface for rotationalmovement relative thereto, and a lever for rotating said rod to extendor retract said retractable member.
 28. Apparatus for erecting andretracting an expandable space enclosure comprising: a box for storingfolded roof and wall panels therein and having at least one open sidewhich is covered in the storage condition by a floor section pivotablyconnected to the box, the folded wall panels comprising an end wall anda plurality of side wall panels foldable relative to each other, the endwall being supported on rollers riding on the surface of the floorsection and adapted for translational movement in a direction normal tothe plane of the box and in an attitude generally parallel to saidplane; cable means for supporting and aligning said panels duringmovement of the panels between expanded and folded positions relative tothe box; at least one of said wall panels comprising an end wall movabletranslationally between parallel expanded and storage positions whilemaintained aligned in a fixed attitude during said movement by saidcable means; releasable means for maintaining said box in an uprightattitude for the unfolding of the panels therefrom in order to providean expanded space enclosure and for the retraction of said panels forstorage within the box; and an alignment mechanism for guiding the endwall and maintaining its attitude aligned generally parallel to theplane of the box irrespective of the point along said end wall at whicha translational force generally normal to the plane of the box isapplied, said alignment mechanism comprising first and second cablemeans, respectively extending from corresponding box anchor points fixedat opposite sides of the box, across the end wall to corresponding flooranchor points located at opposite outboard corners of the floor. 29.Apparatus in accordance with claim 28 further including a plurality ofpulley means mounted at opposite sides of the end wall adjacent thebottom thereof for guiding the cables between the corresponding anchorpoints and around the sides of the end wall.
 30. Apparatus in accordancewith claim 29 further including a spring connected in series with eachof said cables adjacent the associated box anchor point for controllingcable tension.
 31. Apparatus in accordance with claim 28 wherein thefloor mounted anchor points comprise respectively a puLley and a springbiased reel for varying the extended length of the first and secondcables while maintaining said cables taut.
 32. Apparatus in accordancewith claim 29 wherein the pulley means comprises first and secondpulleys coaxially mounted one above the other on a first vertical axisand a third pulley mounted on a second axis adjacent but displaced fromsaid first axis; the first pulley being adapted to guide one of saidcables between a floor anchor point and a cable run extending across thelower edge of the end wall, the second and third pulleys being adaptedto guide the other of said cables between a cable run extending acrossthe lower edge of the end wall and a cable run extending to the boxanchor point; and a mounting bracket secured to the lower corner of theend wall for supporting said pulleys thereon.
 33. Apparatus inaccordance with claim 28 wherein the respective side wall panelspositioned along one side of the floor are joined to each other and tothe box by means of continuous foldable plastic hinges.
 34. Apparatus inaccordance with claim 33 wherein there is an odd number of side wallpanels along one side of the floor, and further comprising slidablejoining means connecting the outer side wall panel to the end wall. 35.Apparatus in accordance with claim 34 wherein the slidable joining meanscomprise transverse slide bars mounted at upper and lower edges of theend wall, and slide fixtures respectively coupled between upper andlower outboard corners of the side wall panel adjacent the end wall andcorresponding slide bars for transverse movement along the bars. 36.Apparatus in accordance with claim 35 further including means forpivotably mounting the slide fixtures to the side wall panels. 37.Apparatus in accordance with claim 30 wherein the slide fixturescomprise upper and lower curved end sections extending respectively overupper and lower edges of the slide bar for retaining the fixture on thebar during its translational movement with respect thereto.